Cost of Living · JP vs TH
🇯🇵 Tokyo vs 🇹🇭 Chiang Mai: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $1,435 in Japan vs $706 in Thailand — 50.83% cheaper.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in Thailand
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: -55.92%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: -55.92%
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: -55.92%
Closest to Japan prices
- ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L: -20%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): -20.86%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): -20.86%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | Japan | Thailand | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $972 | $428 (14,089 THB) | -55.92% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $778 | $343 (11,271 THB) | -55.92% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $1,777 | $783 (25,763 THB) | -55.92% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $11.34 | $5.96 (196 THB) | -47.44% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $47.25 | $24.83 (816 THB) | -47.45% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $7.23 | $4.03 (133 THB) | -44.26% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.79 | $0.49 (16 THB) | -37.97% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $2.29 | $1.43 (47 THB) | -37.55% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $2.43 | $1.52 (50 THB) | -37.45% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $7.15 | $4.47 (147 THB) | -37.48% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $2.86 | $1.79 (59 THB) | -37.41% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $3.43 | $2.15 (71 THB) | -37.32% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $8.57 | $5.37 (177 THB) | -37.34% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $1.43 | $0.89 (29 THB) | -37.76% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $3.78 | $1.99 (65 THB) | -47.35% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $6.76 | $5.35 (176 THB) | -20.86% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $3.15 | $1.66 (55 THB) | -47.3% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.64 | $1.03 (34 THB) | -37.2% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $42.71 | $23.79 (782 THB) | -44.3% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $1.81 | $1.01 (33 THB) | -44.2% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $2.52 | $1.32 (43 THB) | -47.62% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $1.13 | $0.60 (20 THB) | -46.9% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.80 | $0.64 (21 THB) | -20% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $131 | $73.20 (2,407 THB) | -44.29% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $45.99 | $25.62 (842 THB) | -44.29% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $29.57 | $16.47 (542 THB) | -44.3% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $31.50 | $16.55 (544 THB) | -47.46% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $8.82 | $4.63 (152 THB) | -47.51% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $18.90 | $9.93 (327 THB) | -47.46% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $46.49 | $36.79 (1,210 THB) | -20.86% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $76.08 | $60.21 (1,980 THB) | -20.86% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $157 | $82.75 (2,721 THB) | -47.46% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much cheaper is Thailand than Japan?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $706 in Thailand versus $1,435 in Japan — 50.83% less. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in Thailand?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $1.99 in Thailand (≈ 65.44 THB), versus about $3.78 in Japan.
- How much is rent in Thailand compared to Japan?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $428/month in Thailand versus $972/month in Japan (-55.92%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.